Only In Death I Get A Second Chance
by megan1000
Summary: Hinata dies tragecaly from a hollow and is on the way to becoming one when a certain shimigami saves her from her fate. Rated for much later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, but if I did the stories would have involved one another long ago. **

**In this story Hitsugaya doesn't come into the story for 5 chapters but all the chapters are about as long as this one and I'm planning on making this story really long. Please enjoy!**

_**Only In Death I Get a Second Chance**_

"So what is it you wanted to tell me Hinata-kun?" His voice was curios and cheerful, like it always is when he asks a question.

That's one of the things I've always admired him for, loved him for.

"I-I-I w-wan-wanted" damn this stutter. It always comes at the worst possible moments. He looks at me curiously as my voice stopped working.

My face goes a deep red as he stares at me. It felt like he can see right through me; as if his eyes will penetrate my soul. His ocean blue eyes, so soft and caring.

Sometimes I have to remind myself of all the pain behind them. The sorrow and remorse he hides so well. I want to comfort him; tell him I understand. But I'm frozen in place, my confession lost in my dry throat.

I want to say it, but my voice is lost.

He speaks first in a loud cheerful voice, oblivious to the words I can't find. "What is it Hinata-kun, I'm all ears." And as if on cue my famous blush depends to a shade that would put Gaara's hair to shame.

It was amazing how fasts I find my voice. I had to; I had to find my voice.

"Naruto" I said quickly panic racing through ever bone in my body. I feel chakra. Strong chakra, weird chakra. So strange, it makes me want to run. Every bone in my body screams at me to run. But I speak, foolishly I speak, I should have just grabbed Naruto and ran as fast as we could. But instead I speak, so quietly I'm surprised he can even hear me.

"Someone's here, someone dangerous." He understands instantly and frowns. "Were" he says now completely aware of the strong presence of another person: no not a person, definitely not a person.

"Find it" he said quietly, determined.

I quickly activate my Byakugan and look into the trees. He follows my lead and looks in the opposite direction.

After a few minutes he turns to me and asks "find anything."

"Not yet" I yell back as I turn my head to look at him.

Then I see it, standing right in front of Naruto. It was huge; it was a monster by all counts of the word. It had a long tail and on its face it wore a mask similar to the ones some of the ninjas wear.

Its mouth moved as if it was speaking but I heard no noise.

It smiles an evil smile and stares for a second at my beloved Naruto,

I could see the intent to kill in its eyes.

It slowly lifts its hand, the sword like nails glistening in the sunlight.

_My body moves on instinct._

**Disclaimer: I'm leaving with a cliffhanger. If you want me to add the next chapter soon you will have to comment.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: ****I own nothing.**

** wow, the turn out was great 3 reviews in the first day. This is my most successful story ever! I got 3 reviews and I keep my promises. I'm updating really soon.**

**Sorry about the cliffhanger I hope no one fell off. I personally hate cliffhangers, so I know your pain.**

**Okay this is the first fight seen I have ever written so I would like some feedback on how it is. And remember the faster people review the sooner I will update. **

**I think I was ranting just now, sorry about that. On to the story now;**

**Only In Death I Get A Second Chance**

Everything is so fuzzy; my head is spinning and I can't open my eyes. And not just that I can't hear either.

Only two of my senses remain; taste and touch.

All I can do is lye here feeling this severe pain and tasting the metallic taste of my blood as I flows out of my mouth.

I'm bleeding; I can feel the blood all over my body.

The pain is so terrible and it only gets worse with each passing second.

I pray for death so the pain will numb.

And I get my wish.

The pain stops and I open my eyes. I sit up to see my beloved Naruto crying over my cold dead body. His hand hold my hands the way I craved so much during life. And he screams my name as if trying to wake me up from the nightmare I may never escape.

Tears run down his cheek as he holds me in his arms.

Then the monster lets out an ear piercing scream.

"Naruto" I yell as if he can hear me.

'_why doesn't he move, can't he see the monster.'_

Then it hit me; Naruto is completely unaware of the monster standing right in front of him.

The monster starts laughing a maniacal laugh and as he lifts his hand I make a split second decision. I throw a rock at the monster, completely forgetting about my kunai knives.

It laughs again as if to mock my week attempt at stopping him.

"Looky here, looks like my food wants to play with me" he laughs again.

My eyes widen in fear and I want to run away, but I can't do that. I have to stay and fight, I will not let Naruto join me in this nightmare.

So I reach for a kunai. As my hand grips the small metal weapon the monster laughs again.

"You think that will do any damage"

I smile a little; _I can do this_ I tell myself.

I throw the knife.

"You missed me" he taunts as the kunai hits a tree.

While he's still distracted I jump onto his back.

He screams his ear piercing scream as I hit the pressure point I know will kill him.

His body then seems to disintegrate into a million pieces that disappear into thin air.

I fall to the ground with a thud. I quickly turn my head and see my beloved Naruto lifting my lifeless body into his arms. It's then that I notice the blood; my blood, allow over both are bodies. His tears still stream down his face. Each drop eventually landing on my empty shell of a body.

My heart breaks as I watch him carry my lifeless corpse into the village.

Tears well up in my eyes and I'm surprised I can even cry. But then again I just killed a huge monster.

**Disclaimer: the next chapter will be the funeral. Remember the sooner I get comments the faster I update.**


	3. Chapter 3 the funeral

**Disclaimer: ****I own nothing.**

**thanks to everyone who has reviewed and to everyone else please review because I will update a lot faster when I get a lot of reviews.I got 3 reviews today so i have decided to update now instead of waiting till Monday like i had planned to do.**

**Chapter 3; The Funeral**

All my friends; their all here. So many people; some I don't even know. But I guess when you're the heiress to an important clan it's kind of a big deal when you die.

The whole rookie nine, including me of course. There's also Negi and his team. All of the teachers are here. I see so many familiar faces from my clan.

All with blank eyes and some sort of strong emotion plasters onto their face. Some are sad, the saddest faces I have ever seen. Some ashamed of my weaknesses that caused my downfall. However some were proud that I had been brave enough to put myself in front of Naruto even through it cost me my life.

A few people had faces like Negi and Naruto. A guilty face, guilty because they couldn't protect me.

The face that stood out the most was the face of my father. His face was so sad, so ashamed, so proud, and so guilty. I could not even begin to comprehend the complex emotions running through his head.

It breaks my heart to see all these emotions; all these tears. I see so many people I love and I see each one trying to be strong enough to not cry. But so many ultimately fail.

I hide behind a tree, tightly hugging my body.

I fall to my knees as people start putting flowers onto my grave. A can't stop crying and no one can comfort me, but no one ever did anyways.

I want to tell them that I'm alive. But I know they can't hear me and even if they could it would be a lie.

I'm dead and I now it.

I see so many sad faces, so many tears, and I can't stand it.

But all I can do is join them in the useless tears and hug my frozen body, just wishing that I can redo this, redo everything, to just start from the very beginning, before everything.

I regret so much and I want to take everything back.

I want to change so much and be so different, so much stronger. So that my father would be proud and Negi wouldn't hate me so much.

So many things in life I will never get.

I wanted to be someone else.

I wanted to do so much, and be so much.

But most of all I wanted to tell Naruto how I feel and for him to feel the same. That was my last wish before I died; a wish that shall never be granted.

I want to die all over again. But this time end up in some endless slumber. To never wake up and be dead and that to be all I am.

But instead I end up being just another soul, doomed to walk this earth forever, wishing to die when I'm already dead.

My tears won't stop and I start to shake a little. I soon feel rain coming down from above. It's starting to feel as if even the sky cries for me.

And somehow that thought makes me feel just a little better.

I see so many people who care. But at the same time feeling so guilty because I caused this.

**Disclaimer: ok that's the funeral just two more chapters and Hitsugaya comes into the story.**

**And don't forget to review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: ****I own nothing.**

** thank you for all the reviews and I hope I will get some more after I publish this new chapter. And remember the more reviews I get the sooner I will update. i almost forgot to say, if you're looking for the timeline of when this story takes place it is near the end of the series before Naruto leaves. I chose this time because Hinata is strong during this time. If you don't believe me remember Hinata was able to defeat an opponent that even Naruto couldn't defeat. And now on to the story.**

**Chapter 4:**

It's been 2 weeks since my funeral.

After a few days I had found myself constantly hanging around the place where I died and now somehow the broken chain attacked to my chest is now also attached to the tree were I threw my kunai.

The chain is very long and I can move pretty freely.

I often visit Naruto, mostly in the night to watch him sleep; it's so calming and it reminds why I died.

I cry most of the time, always sitting against my tree. Looking at the place where I died, seeing an invisible stain, made of blood, blood everywhere, so much blood.

Right now I'm leaning against the tree; my eyes closed as if I was asleep, as if I could sleep. I'm just thinking, thinking about nothing in particular.

Then I hear it.

The same scream.

The one I heard the day I died.

Without thinking I run towards the monster. Any thoughts of myself leave my mind.

This isn't about me, so I can't let myself be afraid.

The only fear I allow inside of myself is the fear of losing someone. Someone from my village, the village I had, when alive, had sworn to protect.

I won't allow anyone else to join me in this fate, at least not while I'm able to prevent it.

I'm scared but I can't let myself Sercombe to the fear.

Have to fight, so I run, run as fast as I can towards a blood thirsty monster, just like the one that killed me.

My eyes start to tear up but I quickly wipe them away. I cannot show fear.

_One short run later._

I get there and see the monster.

It's twice as tall as the monster that killed me and 3 times as big.

That atmosphere is really heavy and it's getting a little hard to breathe.

I try my best to stand tall and just hold my kunai tightly in my hand, the cold metal object glimmering in the sunlight.

'_I can do this'_ I tell myself

The monster smiles at me; such an evil smile.

My eyes widen in fear but I stand strong and throw my knife.

It hits the monsters arm and the monster lets out a roar. "You bitch, that actually hurt" it yells angrily.

Then it raises its arm and swings its giant hand towards me.

_He's so fast and it just gets harder to breath; I can't move, at least not fast enough._

I close my eyes and cover my face defensively with my arms.

The closer the monster get the harder it is to breath.

In a few seconds I feel something hit against my body. Something hard yet soft.

It can't be the monster it's to gentle and I know I feel an arm around me. My feet lift off the ground somehow.

I slowly open my eyes.

**Disclaimer: and I leave you with a cliffhanger. I'm still working on the next chapter so it may take me awhile. But If I get reviews I will be more motivated to write and update. And reviews with ideas are my favorite so please review with any ideas you have for this story of any future story I might write.**

.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I own nothing (sadly)**

**I would like to say thanks to KareanGal5, Honeybreeze, and sasuhinafan121 for being multiple reviewers and hope you guys keep it up.**

**I'll give a special thanks to Kelsiangel92. Thanks sister for reviewing (I had to bug her first and I doubt she's still reading but thanks anyways.)**

**And now on to the next chapter!**

**Chapter 5;**

**Hitsugaya POV **

I curse Yamamoto-sama for sending me on this mission. '_Why do I have to come to this weird place'? _I think as I walk out of the senkaimon and into a new world.

It's not too different from soul society. The houses and streets are very similiar to the ones in Rukonai.

This place is so different to the world of the living I have come to know, but it's also refreshing.

I hear this village is called Suna.

This place has recently been discovered and I have been sent here to see if Hollows can or do come to this world.

After a few days I feel the presence of a Hollow. The presence is weak and I can tell it is very far away.

It's most likely in a different village.

So I run, run out of the village, through the desert, and through the woods.

It's a very long distance and I can tell that it would take a human at least 3 days.

By the time I get to a new village the presence of the monster fades to nothing.

This is puzzling but I don't question it.

I decide to stay in this village.

If I'm going to find a hollow it will probably be here.

**Disclaimer: okay I know this is really short but I just can't figure out what exactly what to write.**

**Please review.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: ****I own nothing.**

**I AM SO SORRY I TOOK SO LONG. I've just been SOOOOOOOOO busy with school I just haven't been able to get around to updating any of my stories. So here it is after such a long wait; chapter 10 jkjk chapter 6 (could you imagine?) anyway read on...**

'_Two weeks! It's been 2 weeks and nothing, no hallows whats so ever!This is pissing me off. This is a total waist of time. I could be in soul society right now doing something useful, but no, I'm stuck here.'_

I take my phone out of my Shimigami robe and just stare at it; willing it to freaking ring already.

'_This is useless, staring at a phone will do nothing_' I think as I get down from the roof top and go on a walk around the village to pass some of the **very slow** time.

After awhile I come across a small grave in the surrounding forest. It looks pretty new and I can't resist the urge to read, so I do.

_**Here lies The Beloved Huuga Heiress who passed away long before her time.**_

The dates were under it and I calculate her age and how long ago it occurred.

'I_t was a little over 2 weeks ago and she was only 13.'_

It always makes me sad to see someone die before they even had a chance to live.

I hear a cough behind me and I turn around and see a dark haired boy with lavender eyes with no pupils.

_' I wonder if he's blind'_

" Did you know her" he asked, his voice strong and a little sad.

"No, did you?" I responded.

" Yes" he answered, his eyes looking to the corner as if remembering something. " She was my cousin" he added soon after.

"How'd she die" I asked letting my curiosity get the best of me.

His mouth opened and closed before he answered, his voice strong and sure, " She was talking to a friend of hers, Naruto, and they felt this strange chakra, a strong chakra, and they went looking for the source, but..., when Naruto asks her if she found anything and she tells him she hasn't, she, she, she just rushes in front of him and her body is sliced through, as if by claws, but the thing is Naruto claims he saw nothing strike her, it was as if it was invisible. And soon after she died the strange chakra just disappeared."

I thought he was done and I was about to ask him about chakra, but he starts up again.

"She must have seen whoever or whatever it was and she chose to scarifies herself for him, no one thought she had the resolve or courage to do that."

" She sounds like a good person" I say without thinking.

" She was" he replied and said nothing more, he just left mumbling the word over again.

_' That just screams hallow attack but its not like a hallow too just leave after killing just one person when their was another so close, but theirs no need to dwell on that now since it's looking like this wasn't a total waist, I guess this is enough information to bring back.'_

And like magic the moment I stopped waiting for a hallow my phone alerts me of one...

**Disclaimer: sorry, leaving with a cliffy again. But the best way to get a new chapter would be to review, especially one with a suggestion cause this is all I got right now and I got a bit of writers block soo; PLEASE REVIEW!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: ****I own nothing.**

**Thanks for the reviews, anyways here's chapter 7**

' _A hollow finally' _

I run as fast as I can to the monster. When I get their I see a young ghost throw an object at the hollow, he says something and tries to crush the girl.

I shadow jump and grab the girl and shadow jump to a safe distance.

**Hinata pov**

_My eyes widen in fear but I stand strong and throw my knife._

_It hits the monsters arm and the monster lets out a roar. "You bitch, that actually hurt" it yells angrily._

_Then it raises its arm and swings its giant hand towards me._

_'He's so fast and it just gets harder to breath; I can't move, at least not fast enough.'_

_I close my eyes and cover my face defensively with my arms._

_The closer the monster gets the harder it is to breath._

_In a few seconds I feel something hit against my body. Something hard yet soft._

_It can't be the monster it's to gentle and I know I feel an arm around me. My feet lift off the ground somehow._

I slowly open my eyes and look up at a boy about my age with white hair and beautiful turquoise eyes.

He looks down at me.

"Are you okay?" he whispers and in a daze I slowly nod my head.

We hear a load screech from the monster and his head snaps in its direction.

He lets me down and runs in the direction of the monster with his sword at the ready.

He jumps up so he's eye level with monster and with one clean swipe the monster disintegrate into a million pieces that disappear into thin air.

He gently lands and walks over to me, he tells me I'm going to be ok and I'm going to go to a place called Soul Society, he then holds up his sword with the handle facing me and gently touches it to my head.

" Thank you" I say as the world disappears before my very eyes.

**Disclaimer: And after 7 chapters they finally meet. Well, if anyone has any ideas about the story please by all means review:)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: ****I own nothing.**

** Thanks for the reviews I really appreciate them and sorry for the wait, anyways here's chappie 8;**

Hitsugaya POV

"_Thank you" she said while disappearing into Soul Society._

"Your welcome" I find myself saying, though she's already gone.

Hinata POV

_'I wonder who he is' _I think as I come too, remembering everything that had just happened.

I've awakened in an office. I quickly stand up and brush myself off.

I touch my index fingers together out of nervousness as I observe my surroundings.

_' A big room, with wooden floors and blank walls. There's a lot of other people; some standing, some unconscious and some just waking up. There's a few desks with lines leading to them'_

"Those of you who have just crossed over please form a single file line in front of station 1" a woman's voice says.

I look around and quickly find station 1. I slowly make my way towards it and I blush a little as I notice a few of the people questioning the woman's voice rather loudly, a small chuckle escapes my lips at this.

It takes a long time before it's my turn, and when I get to the front the woman behind the desk is impatient.

" Fill this out and then report to station 2" she says while handing me a piece of paper attached to a clipboard and a pen.

"Next" she says loudly, and I walk towards station 2 as I fill out the paperwork.

As I fill it out it dawns on me that I can make anything up, so I choose to abandon my last name, it has always caused me great stress, I change it to Uzumaki and blush deeply while doing it.

_' Hinata Uzumaki, now that has a nice ring to it.'_

**Disclaimer; well that's all I got right now, please review and I'll update as soon as possible.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: ****I own nothing.**

** I am soooo sorry for taking soooo long I feel sooo guilty for doing this. It's just so hard with school and all especially with this class im taking, aca deca which is a college level course that just requires soooooo much study time. Anyways here's chappie 9;**

_Area 23_, that's were they assigned me, I got here an hour ago and I don't know what to do next. Area 23 it reminds me of a village I went to on a mission a few years back. There's small buildings scattered all over the place, homes and businesses I suppose, there are also a few street venders selling their goods.

The ground is mostly dirt with some grass scattered here and their and the occasional shrub.

By the position of the sun I would say it's around 12 in the afternoon. I see a few people shopping and a few kids playing together, but other than that this place is pretty quiet.

I unfold the piece of paper in my pocket: AREA 23 BUILDING 10

I look around the quiet street for my new home, BUILDING 8, BUILDING 9. BUILDING 10, their it is, it's rather small, it looks more like a shack than anything else.

I fold the paper back up and stuff it into my pocket. 1, 2, 3 I count the steps to stop the incisive flow of nerves 10, 11, 12, even closer I come to the shack 15, 16, 17, I lift my hand to knock, then it drops on it's own accord. I try again and a second time it falls to my side. I breath in and out as slowly as I can, 'Third times the charm' I think to myself and for the 3rd time today I lift my hand ready to knock and for the first time today I tap the door 4 times and then my hand drops to my side just as quickly as it had lifted to the door.

"Coming." I hear a tired voice speak. Slowly I bring the paper out of my pocket as I hear footsteps coming my way.

The door opens and I see a tall blonde wearing an old yukata. Reluctantly I hand her the paper and watch the gravel as she reads it.

"So your my new roommate?" she says looking me up and down. I nod my head then look down at my hands that are touching in there nervous way. "So what's your name?" she asks impatiently.

"H-h-hinata uz-uzamke." I reply cringing at each stutter. "And you are?" I continue politely.

She sighs and smiles at me "I'm Riya, come in."


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: ****I own nothing.**

**sorry it has taken so long. I've just been soooooo busy with school.**

**Chapter 10: Hinata POV**

She sat on the floor, her hands gently placed on her knees. She stared at the ground and wondered to herself softly.

_What do I do now?_ She has no answers. She just stared intently at the ground as if expecting it to give her answers, to tell her what to do.

Riya was out, Hinata had no idea were, and she was alone, confused, with no answers and no reasons, to live or in her case die. She pressed her lips tightly together at this thought.

_What do I do _she thought, this time aloud.

She stood and studied the cracks in the walls, pressing her fingers together, putting a barrier between herself and this strange world, this confusing, chaotic, she put her delicate hand on a peculiar indent, _dangerous_ world.

She dropped her hand and turned her back to the mysterious indent. She couldn't breathe for a second, her whole world came crashing down again.

She thought when she crossed over everything would be different, but it's not. She's alone again, unimportant and small. Weak, a disappointment. _I'll always be a disappointment_ she thought almost aloud, tears in her eyes.

She timidly walked to the door and stopped. Her breath catching in her throat she let the tears fall.

_So weak, so very weak._

She was a disappointment, her father knew that when she dies. She tried to prove him wrong, worked as hard as she could, fought at her full strength. She wanted to make him proud, make Neji proud, make Naruto proud. But she failed, that's all she was when she died, a failure.

Naruto had faith in her, he believed in her. She was ready to prove him right, _so very ready_. She was going to fight for him, become strong for him.

For him she was going to be something, be someone. But she never even got the chance to try.

Then she let out her breath and realized. She had a chance, a new beginning. She can make something out of herself.

She's what she has always wanted to be, someone else, someone new. With dreams and ambitions.

Hours later when the sun had set and Riya was tucked under covers, Hinata opened the door.

She walked out and found a secluded area just outside the dismal village and she trained.

Trained until her knuckles bled and she had a headache from the prolonged use of her byakugan.

By the time she entered her tiny shack her stomach was empty and she could barely keep her eyes open. She laid down on the futon and slept until the sun rose and Riya had left.

Upon awakening she left the shed in search of food to fill her rumbling stomach.

**Disclaimer: Please review, reviews motivate me to write my next chapter as soon as possible. If you have any requests for later chapter please feel free to ask, for the most part I'm making this up as I go along, so any ideas are more than welcome.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: ****I own nothing.**

** Merry Christmas. Sorry this took sooo long. I hope I'll be able to update more since its Christmas break, I've just been so caught up in school**** please R&R.**

_**Ch- 11**_

Hinata walked out of the bare room and stepped out onto the street. Her toes planted themselves in the ground and held firmly. She didn't know where to go for food. She didn't even have money to pay for it if she did.

She raised her index fingers to her lips and pressed them firmly together. After a few minutes of contemplation she dropped her head with a sigh. She needed food in her bell to think. She decides to go into the forest, remembering a strawberry bush near her 'training ground.'

She stepped forward placing each foot carefully in front of her as she went, quickening her pace as her stomach started to rumble. As she gets closer her legs start to turn into lead as the events of the previous night take their toll.

She drops to her knees when she finally reaches the bush, and she gorges herself. Her teeth sinking into the plump, red flesh, the juice dripping down her chin, glistening in the sunlight.

Her eyes close slowly with her mouth as a sweat smile dances across her lips.

She eats each berry slowly as her stomach thanks her. When she's finally full her eyes open and the world reveals itself to her. She lies on her back and studies the clouds. It's been so long since she's done this, so long since she felt like this, so content. In a few moments she is sound asleep.

When she awakens the hot sun is beating down on her face. She shields her eyes and stands, brushing the dirt from her clothes as she does so.

The blazing light bacons her, filling her with energy. She looks over to her bruised tree and starts to train, her aching muscles urging her forward. Hours pass and the sun moves unnoticed in the sky.

Around sunset her arms drop to her sides in an exhausted cry and Hinata starts to her home.

She almost reaches the door when she notices for the first time the little bar. The dim lights inside were a strong contrast to the darkness around her and like a moth she was attracted to the weak flames of the candle lit place.

On instinct her legs move her towards the window as her nose inhales the aroma of warm ramen and sake mixed with cheap perfume.

Her eyes trace the exterior of the tavern till they rest on the bottom left of the wide window before her. Her heart races as she reads the sign 'help wanted.'

She takes a minute to build up her courage and she forces her body onward to her new life.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

** Sorry this took so long, junior year was intense for me; ap classes and such. Yesterday was the last day of schools so now I have all of summer vacation. Please review**

_**Ch-12:**_

She doesn't want to be who she was before; no more shy loneliness. She close\s her eyes and inhales deeply. Her heart starts to beat rapidly as she inched her way to the little shop.

She pushes the thin tattered curtain aside and takes another deep breathe. Her eyes open instantly as she recognizes the strong familiar scent that reminds her so much of Naruto.

She lifts her fingers and inched them close together, but then they stop and she separates them harshly.

She shakes her head with ferocity and reminds herself that she can be brave; that she needs to be brave. So she walks hastily to the counter.

The elderly host smiles brightly; making his crows-feet more evident. Once he did this her heart dropped and her confidence wavered.

Her gaze leaps to the floor and her lips quiver slightly.

"What can I do for you little miss?" he asks with a cheerful voice.

"I um I wa was" she stutters as her fingers begin to rise again in a thick shield. But she catches herself.

She remembers her father's words, "stop stuttering and look me in the eyes."

She flinches at this and remembers Kurenai Yuhi, "Just take a deep breath." So she did and looked the old man in the eyes repeating the mantra "be brave, be brave" silently to herself.

The man smiled reassuringly at her and she opened her mouth again, "I noticed a sign in the front" she begins hastily, tripping over her words. He nods quickly and interrupts her.

"Are you looking for work." He asks and she nods quickly; happy she didn't have to explain. "We're looking for a waitress, do you think you can handle that?" she nods again and smiles at him.

"I I am confident I can do that sir" she said quietly. He nearly doubted her but wanted to give a chance so he asks her her name and when she gave it he wrote it down telling her to come back tomorrow at sunset.

Her eyes opened widely and she almost questioned it but decides against it. She smiles at him and walks towards her hut as he draws his attention to a rowdy customer.

"Can I really handle this?" she mumbles to herself in the darkness and lifts her fingers to her red lips before pulling her door open.

She walks into the dark room, noticing Riya sleeping; reeking of alcohol. She pulls out her bed and lays down, unable to sleep as she repeats her mantra.

**Disclaimer: Thanks for reading and please review; it encourages me to update more quickly.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: ****I own nothing.**

** Electricity went off in my house so I decided to update, I hope you enjoy. Please review when you are done**

_**Ch. 13:**_

_Hitsugaya Pov:_

Hitsugaya pointed his turquoise eyes at his cell phone one last time as he walked through the portal to soul society.

He had enough information from the hallow attack to write his report. He was still annoyed and took a deep breath and let it go in a heavy sigh; happy he gets to go back home.

"I suppose it wasn't as useless as I thought; another shinigami may have been killed by that hollow and now we know to send shinigami here as well" he said to himself as he emerged.

He walked back to his office and a little vein bulged in his forehead as he noticed the large stack of paperwork sitting on his oak desk. He frowned deeply as he yelled loudly for his vice-captain.

Rangiku shuddered, dropping her sake, and hid herself behind Renji. Deciding that that was a bad idea she stood up and made her way to the testy hobbit.

"It's nice to see that your back captain" she said nervously; half her body hidden behind the doorway. Hitsugaya twitched and pointed to the stack.

He put his hand to his forehead as she went to her desk and picked up a pen. Hitsugaya grabbed a large portion of the paperwork and placed it on the red-heads desk. He then heads back over to his and starts writing his report.

Rangiku slumps her shoulders and wines out loud. At this Hitsugaya looks at her sharply. She pouts her lips and starts her work.

'This is going to be a long day' he tells himself and looks back down at his report.

'But it's a good start'

**Disclaimer: I know this is really short but I needed to illustrate his return. I will post another chapter soon. Please review, I am taking suggestion. So if you want them to meet a certain way or anything else please tell me and I will take it into consideration.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: ****I own nothing.**

**I am making these names up as I go if you have better Japanese names please comment with them. R&R**

_**Ch. 14:**_

_Hinata Pov:_

Hinata pats down the yukata the owner's wife, Mano Yukiru, gave her. She breaths loudly and looks in the antique mirror.

"How does it fit?" Mrs. Yukiru asks through the curtain. Hinata nods her head but then realizes she couldn't see that.

"V-very we-well" she forces out and walks back into the front room.

Mr. Yukiru had already briefed her so she just smiles reassuringly and urges her forward as her husband seats another customer.

Hinata nervously walks over to the man and politely takes his order. He tells her what he wants and she repeats it back to Mrs. Yukiru, who was the chef. When the meal was completed Hinata, without hesitation, takes it to the young man.

With a new burst of confidence she walks over to the next customer and repeats the process.

At the end of the night Mr. Yukiru announces the closing of the restaurant and though some of the customers protested loudly the restaurant closed without event. Hinata smiles and the old man walks over to her. He congratulates her and dismisses her for the day.

She walks back home and thinks about the night. She was very proud of herself and though the customers could be rowdy; her ass was grabbed once, and a little violent she felt she could handle it.

She pulls off her yukata and wishes for a bath. 'I'll find a place in the morning' she thinks as she puts on the same clothes she has been wearing since she arrived.

She sets up her bed and when she gets comfortable she takes out her tips from the day. It's not much but it's a good start.

She falls asleep with a full stomach and a little bit of optimism.

'What a good start.'

**Disclaimer: I know this one was short too but it felt like a good resting place. Please comment with suggestions or anything else and I will update quicker. Remember I am writing this as I go and I have a very broad idea of where I am going so your suggestions really do help, so please please please comment**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: ****I own nothing.**

** Sorry this took so long. Please r&r.**

_**Ch. 15:**_

She lifts her arms high over her head and sways her hips magnificently as she takes a step further over the deep clear water.

She proceeds to point her fingers towards the shimmering surface then lifts them again violently; the water following the movements.

The pools and streams of clear liquid surround her and dance alongside her bare body.

Her gaze becomes more intent and her movements less restrained as the moon moves higher overhead and she becomes illuminated in the darkness.

Her shift had ended an hour earlier and she used a jutsu to find this place. It was a mile from the town and completely isolated.

On arriving she quickly disrobed and moved her hands to activate her Byakugan.

She continues to dance along the surface and creates an orb around herself.

Her body moves elegantly and when she suspects the sun of rising she dresses herself and heads back to her home.

She sleeps soundly and when she awakens a few hours later she goes to her clearing and trains until her stomach growls.

She had been subjecting herself to the one meal a day that her boss would provide her with at the end of a shift. He called it a nice treat she deserved after a long day of work.

It was satisfying but the satisfaction did not last all day and she was often hungry.

She would eat more but the food was so expensive and mostly candy was sold. She couldn't afford to eat a lot at the restaurant because she hadn't received a pay day yet and wanted to save her tips.

So she suffered in silence and continued to wonder about food.

She rarely noticed people eating, even where she worked people ordered sake not food.

Her stomach protested again and she decides to work through the pain but after another hour she goes back to the village and drinks from the well in an attempt to quench her hunger.

Later on the sun finally sets and she puts on her yukata and goes into work.

Her shift goes normally but then she starts to feel lightheaded. She makes her way back to Mrs. Yukiru and faints.

Two hours later the pub closes and she wakes up on a cot in the back.

She sits up quickly and Mrs. Yukiru rushes to her.

She kneels down by Hinata and feels her head. She open her mouth to ask her how she is feeling but closes it when she hears a distinctive stomach growl.

She looks down at Hinata, who was blushing deeply and holding her belly. A look of understanding crosses Mrs. Yukiru's face as it hits her. She knew that Hinata was a new soul and that she didn't understand soul society very well.

So she grabs a bowl of hot ramen from the kitchen, hands it to Hinata, and explains to her about what hunger means in soul society, about riatsu, and about soul reapers.

Hinata eats the ramen slowly and listens intently. She doesn't say a word as she digests the words and when the explanation is over she stands up, thanks Mrs. Yukiru, and goes home.

She doesn't sleep that night.

**Disclaimer: Thanks for reading and please review about what you thought about this chapter and how the story is progressing.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Sorry for the wait, please enjoy.**

**Chapter 16 **

The scent of alcohol is strong in the room. Bottles strewn across the tables with ease, and it is her job to both remove them and to add to them, she does both halfheartedly with tired eyes and a sore neck from too many nights sleeping in the field after training.

She moves her lavender eyes across the room at the sound of yelling. Two men in black outfits, both reeking of sake, stand up. One throws an empty bottle at the other but misses. It fly's towards her but she dodges easily and it shatters against the wall.

A short white haired soul in a matching black outfit stands up from across the room as Mr. Yukiru starts yelling at them to stop their fighting.

"Byakugan!"

Hinata runs toward them on instinct and quickly jabs at their pressure point until they both fall to the ground in a deep slumber. Her eyes turn back to normal as she steps back.

Mr. Yukiru walks to her and places his hands on her shoulders, "are you okay?"

She nods her head. "Yes" she speaks softly and goes back to her job. Out of the corner of her eye she sees the short man in black talking to Mr. Yukiru with stern eyes, Mr. Yukiru rubs the back of his neck as he speaks. Hinata makes a note not to listen in as she picks up sake bottles.

******Hitsugaya** POV

I've been back from that strange other world for about a month and I'm only now able to finish the last of my paperwork. Damn Rangiku, she really let it pile up.

The office door opens as Rangiku peeks her head in. She sees my empty desk and barges in happily. "Captain!" she yell happily as I feel a headache coming on.

"Captain," she continues, "look all the paper work is gone." I glare at her. "We should celebrate!"

"No"

"Come on Captain."

"No"

"Please" she pouts.

"No"

Somehow I end up in a small pub with Rangiku and a few others from our squad.

I cross my arms and glare at their drunken behavior. They're playing gin or poker or some other card game with money mingling in the middle with empty sake bottles.

I only observe out of boredom.

One of them seems to be losing, another seems to be winning, both of their voices seem to pick up volume.

"Cheater" one of them yells and throws an empty bottle, the man dubbed "cheater" doesn't even need to dodge as the bottle goes barreling at the tired looking waitress. She doesn't even seem to have seen the bottle but somehow she dodges it and it crashes behind her.

I'm on my feet all of a sudden and the elderly shop owner yells at them to stop their fighting. I move to intervene but the waitress is on them before I move a foot. She hits them perfectly and they're on the floor.

The old man walks up to her and speaks, she then goes back to clearing tables.

I walk over to him.

"Who is that girl?" I ask him.

He scratches his neck. "A new soul" he says hesitantly "Uzumaki, she has strength, requires food like a soul reaper, but I've never seen her do anything like that before," he goes quiet, rubbing his neck. He walks away from me and I look over at the girl. She looks strangely familiar.

Rangiku walks over towards me, she looks sobered up.

"That girl," I start, she understands.

Rangiku goes over to the Uzumaki girl who bows her head respectfully. Rangiku looks serious and so does the girl.

They talk for a few minutes and near the end the girl nods and Rangiku reaches out and touches her arm. I walk over.

"I can do this." I hear her say softly. "I will do this" I see determination in her eyes. Rangiku nods and we leave her standing there.

**Disclaimer: Thank you for reading this far, please review what you thought and things you want to see in the future.**


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